By Kyle Francis
At one point during Princess, a five-year-old drags the hooked end of a crowbar through broken glass, castrates a man with it, then kills him. That’s what kind of film this is. While that particular scene is just about as uncomfortable to watch as Anders Morgenthaler’s third feature-length gets, it is a pretty telling microcosm… Continue reading Morgenthaler’s Princess pristine
By Kyle Francis
The film 300 is a lot of things. It is borderline racist, possibly misogynist and doubtlessly homoerotic. It is also, in the unintentionally meaningful words of a 15-year-old who shuffled along in front of me as we exited the theatre, “fucking rad.” The film depicts outrageously-muscled, obviously-white Europeans viciously slaughtering a superior invading force of… Continue reading Editorial: 300 ways to anger Iran
By Kyle Francis
If the ’90s taught us anything, it’s that dangerous, carcinogenic material will give you super powers. Though the woe-begotten citizens of Chernobyl would fervently disagree, the pop culture phenomenon this notion spurred on engulfed everything from comic books to television. Not the least of the spin-offs were Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja… Continue reading Mutation is a good thing: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the Playstation 2
By Kyle Francis
Violent and outrageous, 300 tells the bronze-age story of 300 Spartans’ showdown against a million invading Persians with a visual style not unlike a train colliding with a herd of cattle. While the bombastic cinematography is immediately jarring, 300‘s over-the-top chic wouldn’t be nearly as successful or entertaining without it. Based on Frank Miller’s graphic… Continue reading The Very Best Violence: Frank Miller’s 300
By Kyle Francis
Not long after his heavy involvement in the 2006 Liberal Convention, Justin Trudeau announced his intention to seek the nomination of the Papineau, Montreal riding, clearing up much speculation as to his political ambitions. Trudeau has been everything from a Katimavik youth leader to the head of the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, as well as pursuing… Continue reading Editorial: Man up, Mulroney
By Kyle Francis
It’s a rare film that’s both an entertaining story as well as a thought-provoking discourse on the nature of socialism and human interaction. It’s even more impressive when it’s wrought with rich symbolism and breathtaking performances. When a film like that comes along–well, it usually wins an Academy Award, actually. Those who watched the glitter-soaked… Continue reading Fine German engineering
By Kyle Francis
By Kyle Francis
By Kyle Francis
Amateur theatre is like training wheels for the larger community. Sometimes there’s extreme promise in the awkward teeter of the first few feet, but other times, the pit bull that lives down the road hops his fence and inflicts twenty-eight stitches worth of damage. Oddly, 8-0-8 Productions’ new pair of one-acts reflects both the potential… Continue reading Sex and violence–not quite an unbeatable team
By Kyle Francis